Jordan Staal and the Hurricanes knew who was coming over and had the tea ready. It wasn't a good time.

The Penguins aren't a bad team. They just aren't very good right now. In what was somewhat of a big game, the Pens let the Canes score two crushing goals at the end of the first and second periods.

There's not much that can be done at this point. Getting jammed up about a two-game losing streak doesn't really do much. But there is an uneasy feeling. How good exactly is this Penguins team? Especially without Malkin? We're about to find out. These past two games were against sub-8 teams. These next four games are against teams in the top 8: Montreal,Tampa, Philly, and the Leafs.

Subscribe to Puck Drunk Love

Therrien vs. Bylsma Saturday night.

Recap:

FIRST PERIOD

Jordan and Sutter started off the game. Crosby turned over a puck, then Letang crosschecked Eric, so the Canes got a real quick power play.

Kris Letang is in a rough spot right now. Teams are punishing him in an attempt to get him off his game, and it is working. The Penguins' coaching staff apparently thinks it is fine, so we assume they like him acting like a complete French dick.

Pens were still turning pucks over. Dupuis turned one over, and MAF had to turn inside-out to make some saves.

Jay Harrison went to the box for something, so the Pens had a PP, and it was awkward. Killed.

Things were ordinary for a while. MAF made a couple more saves, and the Pens headed the other way. Crosby and Niskanen played a give-and-go, then Sid basically passed the Pens into the lead.

What a pass. Kunitz scores every game. 1-0.

Glass answered by going off for delay of game. Huge kill there. Sticks in every lane.

Unlucky TV timeout with like 35 seconds to go gave the Hurricanes time to plan shit.

Letang may have thought the period was over.

Canes scored a bastard goal late to tie it. 1-1.

SECOND PERIOD

The Pens had a PP from all some shit that happened at the end of the first. Canes killed it.

Then the Staal Bros. started wreaking havoc. Jordan generated a chance, then Eric generated his own. And Jiri Tlusty scored. 2-1.

TURNING POINT

The wheels fell off.

The Pens got caught in a bad matchup.

Carolina's second line vs. the Pens four line.

And then this happened in the neutral zone:

Canes turned the puck around and marched into the Pens' zone.

20 seconds later, it was 3-1.

Skinnnnaa

Everything settled down for a while, then Eric went to the box. Welp. Then the Pens got caught with too many men. That was killed, too.

Skinner took an embarrassing diving penalty.

Skinnnnnna

Honestly, the Pens carried a lot of the play in the second and had some good chances. Matt Cooke had some breakaway, but Cam Ward was better. As bleak as it looked, one goal would've changed everything.

And it did. But the Canes scored it. Late in the period, the Canes' first line was unstoppable.

Jiri scored again to make it 4-1.

Bortuzzo got worked on that goal. Semin with a sick pass. Pens should have canceled the third period.

THIRD PERIOD

Canes just keyed on shutting down Crosby.

GAME.

MISCELLANEOUS

Frustrating time for Kris Letang.

He has zero creativity on the power play right and just looks uncomfortable overall. A haircut turns it all around, in our opinion.